Drones For Deer Scouting

Best drones for deer scouting, hunting and recovery

Drones for deer scouting and hunting is a bit controversial. Many states have banned the use of UAVs to scout deer or other game. Those that didn’t ban it outright, ban hunting the same day a drone is used for scouting wildlife. However, some states, like Florida, allow using drones for hunting. So if you’re looking for your own spotting eye in the sky when hunting, these are some of the best deer drones for scouting and recovery.

List of the Best Drones For Deer Scouting and Hunting

Name

Photo

Range

Flight Time

Price

Rating

DJI Inspire 1 Pro

1.2 Miles

18 Minutes

$$$$$

4.1

Yuneec Q500 Typhoon Quadcopter

1500 Feet

25 Minutes

$$$

4.2

Yuneec Typhoon H Pro

150 Feet

25 Minutes

$$$$

4.2

DJI Mavic Pro Collapsible Quadcopter

7 Kilometers

27 Minutes

$$$$

4.1

3DR Solo Drone Quadcopter

0.5 Miles

15-20 Minutes

$

3.8

Parrot Bebop Quadcopter Drone

250 Meters

20 Minutes

$

3.4

DJI Matrice 100

3.5 Kilometers

22 Minutes

$$$$$

5.0

DJI Inspire 1 Pro

Any experienced drone pilot will tell you that there is no more magnificent craft than the DJI Inspire 1 Pro quadcopter. Coming from a giant in drone industry, DJI Inspire 1 is one of the best camera platforms you can procure.

This drone has incredible filming capabilities, and typically used in aerial photography or videography. However, its decent flight time and an excellent camera will definitely be of use to a hunter. The drone comes with a 16 MP camera that films in 1080 p and at 60 fps, which is more than enough to spot deer out in the open. The drone also has a stellar gimbal and mount that can take on a GoPro camera, and the drone itself can be fitted with an infrared sensor, as well as a thermal scanner.

The drone also has, like we said, a good flight time. Inspire 1 can fly for full 15 minutes, giving you plenty of time to scout out ahead and take a good look at the terrain. The drone also has an excellent flight range, and you can scout as far as a mile, thanks to the 2.4 GHz wireless technology.

Lastly, the quad also has some awesome features that would definitely be of use. The quad features auto flight modes like Waypoint and Follow me. Waypoint allows you to map out the route for the drone and Inspire 1 automatically follow the flight plan, and then land on its own. The drone can also establish a connection with your smartphone which allows you to see a live feed of what the drone sees.

Yuneec Q500 Typhoon Quadcopter

Our next product comes from Yuneec. It is the Yuneec Q500 Typhoon quadcopter, one of the best UAVs on the market. This is a great piece of equipment for anyone who needs a fast camera platform with a long flight time.

If you weren’t impressed with Inspire 1’s 15 minute flight time, then Yuneec is certain to impress you. Q500 Typhoon can fly for about 25 minutes on a single charge. This allows you to really sweep the area when checking for the game. The drone also has a decent flight range, because the controller uses the same 2.4 GHz technology the Inspire 1 uses.

Yuneec Q500 also comes with a very decent camera. The quad sports a 12 MP camera that is fully capable of filming in 4k, and at 60fps. Not only that, but the drone’s camera can also film in slow motion at 120 fps, so you can really take a good look at the situation.

Yuneec Typhoon H Pro

Our next product is another Yuneec, the Typhoon H Pro drone. Instead of being a quadcopter, the Typhoon H is a hexacopter. This means that the drone is additionally stable, and quite fast.

Just like the Q500, Typhoon H Pro carries a 12 MP camera that can film in 4k. The gimbal on the camera does an excellent job at eliminating the vibrations from the hexa’s powerful electromotors. The drone is extremely fast too, and has a very good top speed of about 40 mph, which, in turn, allows you to cover quite a distance.

Typhoon H also features Yuneec’s patented Collision Avoidance system. This will be quite useful when you’re flying in deep woods and will protect the drone from hitting the branches of the trees. The hexacopter is also very easy to fly, and has 8 smart flying modes that will make flying the drone a breeze.

It is also important to note that the craft comes with a great controller that has an integral touchscreen. This will allow you to receive the live feed from the camera directly and you won’t have to mess around with downloading apps and won’t be inconvenienced by the Wi-Fi connection.

DJI Mavic Pro Collapsible Quadcopter

Coming up next is another DJI gem, the Mavic Pro quadcopter. This is one of the most innovative drones on the market today, and it will certainly appeal to hunters due to its amazing design.

The thing that makes Mavic so special is the fact that it is fully foldable. And this doesn’t mean that the drone is disassembled, no. The quadcopter is fully foldable, and when folded is barely larger than a water bottle. This allows Mavic to be extremely portable as it can be easily packed into a backpack and leave plenty room in it.

But the drone doesn’t lack any in the camera department. Despite the gizmo’s design, the manufacturers did not skimp on the camera quality and equipment. Mavic features an excellent 12 MP camera that films in 4k. in this way, you get a 2-for-1, as the drone has a superb camera, but is still very small and portable.

It should also be noted that Mavic has an excellent flight time as well. The quad is capable of staying in the air for a full 28 minutes on a single charge, which is almost twice the flight time of Inspire 1. The quadcopter also has a great flight range, approximately 7 kilometers, allowing you to scout out very far. Finally, the craft is very fast too, reaching top speeds of about 40 mph, which, ultimately, allows you to cover great distances very quickly.

Gopro Drones For Deer Scouting with a 3DR Solo Drone Quadcopter

If you require a platform for your GoPro camera, and you intend to do some scouting with it, then 3D Robotics Solo Quadcopter is one of the best platforms you can get. Often dubbed the smartest drone in existence, Solo is an amazing piece of technology, and is definitely worth a mention on this list.

What makes Solo so unique are the twin 1GHz computers that act as a brain for the drone. The computers allow the drone to render a lot of information quickly, and allow for an addition of many auto flight options. One of those is Point of Interest option that enables you to focus the camera on a single target or area, while you fly the drone around, which, in turn, allows you to see objects from multiple angles. And, when you finally make the kill, the Selfie mode is the perfect way to go and capture a photo with your buddies and the trophy.

Solo also features an awesome gimbal. The gimbal allows you to pan and tilt the camera and to have a thorough look around. The gimbal is also very effective at eliminating the vibrations that come from the motors. On other note, the done allows you to connect the camera with your smartphone to get a live feed of the camera. This is very useful to your as a hunter, as you can directly observe the hunting grounds, and spot traces of deer.

Parrot Bebop Quadcopter Drone

If you’re looking for a cheaper device with a good camera for scouting, then you should definitely check out Parrot Bebop quadcopter. It’s one of the cheapest drones but still boasts one of the most powerful cameras.

Parrot Bebop sports an excellent 14 MP camera. This camera also films 4k video, and the camera itself is the same as cameras of Mavic, Typhoon Q500, and Typhoon H, all of which cost more than double than Parrot Bebop. Parrot’s camera also has a very wide viewing angle, and will be presented with a full 180-degree field of vision. This, in turn, will prove as very useful, as you will be able to scout a very wide area very easily.

On the other hand, Parrot Bebop is extremely portable. The machine itself is very small, and the drone can be easily packed in a regularly sized bag. The drone also comes with a few auto flight features which will help you fly the drone more easily and more efficiently. Parrot features a One Key Return function that lets you recall the quad automatically, which is a great way of preventing the loss of the drone if you lose your bearings and forget where you are.

Parrot also features a quick-charge battery that will greatly reduce the drone’s charging time, and will allow you to use the quad in more occasions and use the device to a greater effect.

DJI Matrice 100

If you’d like a reliable and sturdy platform, but only a platform, then DJI Matrice 100 is the drone for you. This DJI drone is the best aircraft for those that like to modify their equipment, and introduce new elements to the craft to improve their own user experience.

The good thing about Matrice 100 is that it has an infinite potential for development. That is, after all, why this drone is called a developer’s drone. The quad allows you to install any number of upgrades and sensors that will increase your chance of locating prey. The drone is also extensively used in farming and agriculture, and has been made compatible with a wide array of sensors, including infrared and thermal sensors. This is largely beneficial to you as a hunter, as you can more effectively recognize pray in the thick of the woods.

Matrice 100 is also very sturdy. To ensure you don’t damage the drone if your crash, and to ensure the equipment doesn’t get damaged, the drone has a very strong construction. The device is made of high-end materials to ensure no harm comes to the drone or the equipment if a crash does occur. Matrice 100 also has very efficient and powerful motors that allow it to carry a greater load than other drones.

Matrice 100 is also made to be as easy to program as possible. Since all the programming will be done by you, DJI made Matrice very accessible for any kind of equipment you might be using with it. The drone also has one very good convenience, and that is the added battery compartment that will enable you to double the drone’s flight time with another battery on-board.

Final Word on the Best Drones for Deer Scouting

And that’s it for our list of deer scouting drones. Among the many excellent models, it is really hard to choose a winner, so we will let you take a look at them and decide. Make sure you know how much money you want to spend on a drone, and make sure you know what kind of work you want performed. However, most of these drones carry excellent cameras, and that is, we assume, your main concern.

However, we must warn you again against unlawful use of drones for the scouting game. Many states have banned the use of drones for hunting purposes, but many states allow you to hunt, but not on the same day an aircraft was used for scouting. Before using the drone for the purpose of deer scouting, make sure you know what does the state law say about using these crafts.